The invention relates generally to beds and liners for pickup trucks, cargo vehicles and the like and more particularly to a bed or liner having improved electrical charge dissipating characteristics.
Liners for motor vehicles, particularly bed liners for pickup trucks and cargo vans provide many benefits. First of all, such bed liners provide a resilient barrier between the cargo area and the actual truck bed which absorbs energy and reduces denting and damage to the bed when heavy loads are transported. Second of all, such liners protect the vehicle bed or interior from water, salt and other possibly more corrosive materials which may be carried in the vehicle.
The emphasis on passenger car weight reduction has created a similar emphasis on behalf of manufacturers of light and medium duty trucks. One of the areas that has become a focus of such weight reduction is the vehicle box or bed. Replacing the metal box or bed with a non-metal, e.g., thermoplastic material, bed provides obvious and relatively significant weight reduction and other advantages. Resistance to rusting or corrosion and denting are but two of the accompanying advantages.
A drawback that accompanies relatively large components made from thermoplastic or other organic materials is their ability to become electrically charged and their inability to quickly dissipate such charges. This electrical activity is viewed as undesirable and products which do not exhibit this activity would therefore be desirable. The present invention is directed to such a product.
A truck bed or liner for installation in a pickup truck bed or cargo vehicle exhibits improved electrical charge dissipating characteristics. The preferred embodiment truck bed is manufactured of high density polyethylene (HDPE) or similar engineered thermoplastic material containing particles of carbon black or other conductive material dispersed therethrough. In a first alternate embodiment, the bed defines a two layer sandwich. The upper layer of HDPE or similar material includes dispersed carbon black particles or other conductive material whereas the lower layer is free of such particles. In a second alternate embodiment, a truck bed liner of HDPE or similar material includes dispersed carbon black or other conductive material.
A third alternate embodiment comprehends a truck bed liner defining a two layer sandwich with carbon black or similar conductive material in the upper layer. A fourth alternate embodiment bed or bed liner includes an open mesh fabric or webbing which has carbon black or other conductive material dispersed therein. The mesh or webbing is secured to the upper surface of a liner made of HDPE, preferably by autogenous bonding. Beds and liners according to the present invention provide improved dissipation of static electricity charges and thus improve safety with regard to possible static discharges.
In a fifth and seventh alternate embodiments, the truck bed or liner is manufactured of fiber or fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) containing particles of carbon black or other conductive material dispensed throughout.
In a sixth and eighth alternate embodiments, the bed or liner defines a two layer sandwich. The upper layer of FRP or similar material includes disposed carbon black particles or other conductive material whereas the lower layer of FRP is free of such particles.
Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a truck bed fabricated of thermoplastic material containing dispersed particles of conductive material.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a high density polyethylene (HDPE) truck bed having dispersed conductive particles which provides enhanced electrical charge dissipating characteristics.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a liner for a pickup truck or cargo vehicle fabricated of HDPE containing dispersed particles of conductive material.
It is a still further object of the present invention top provide a liner for a pickup truck or cargo vehicle fabricated of HDPE which provides enhanced electrical charge dissipating characteristics.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a truck bed or liner comprising two layers of HDPE or similar material, one of which includes dispersed particles of conductive material.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a truck bed or liner of HDPE or similar material having a conductive fabric or webbing bonded to the upper surface of the bed or liner.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a fiber or fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) truck bed having dispersed conductive particles which provides enhanced electrical charge dissipating characteristics.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a liner for a pickup truck or cargo vehicle fabricated of FRP containing dispersed particles of conductive material.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a truck bed or liner comprising two layers of FRP or similar material, one of which includes dispersed particles of conductive material.
Further objects and advantage of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following description of the preferred and alternate embodiments and appended drawings wherein like references numbers refer to the same component, element or feature.